escalated 1 of 2

as in increased
being at a higher level than average for a time there was an escalated interest in the historical figure following the release of the blockbuster biography

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

escalated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of escalate
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of escalated
Verb
Trump escalated his attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. — Alec Dent, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026 By Saturday, demonstrations over rising living costs, school conditions and declining public services had escalated into clashes with police, fires, looting and attacks on public buildings in several cities. — Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Iran has escalated attacks on tankers in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman in an effort to choke off crude oil exports from the region. — Lee Ying Shan,spencer Kimball, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026 The battle — which escalated into a federal lawsuit filed Thursday by the Justice Department against the state, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Logan — features striking assertions of official misconduct. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 The violence escalated after high school and university students joined a broader anti-government movement calling for Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 Saudi Arabia launched strikes on an oil depot on the outskirts of Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Tuesday, as the tit-for-tat attacks escalated. — Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 The argument escalated, and the two men moved to another apartment, where one man was shot. — Celia Frazier, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026 All the while, the growing need for trade roles across industries has escalated the shortage. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalated
Adjective
  • Ketamine can cause a slew of other side effects, including delirium, amnesia, increased salivation, abnormal eye movements, high blood pressure and potentially fatal breathing problems.
    — Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The streamer has faced increased competition of late and slower growth.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • His family, like many Lebanese Jews, left as anti-Jewish sentiment rose after the 1967 war between Israel and Arab countries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Then mines started to close and unemployment rose, and its owner, an elderly Italian named Netta Cavalli, was beaten in her shop and died soon after.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • During the demonstration, a Roadster prototype accelerated up a massive curved ramp.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The sell-off accelerated Wednesday after hotter-than-expected consumer inflation data raised concerns that the Federal Reserve could keep interest rates elevated for longer.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Analysts point out that as market concerns over financing risks for AI related firms escalate, investors are reassessing the impact of elevated interest rates on economic growth and corporate debt servicing capacity.
    — , CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Founded in 2013 by Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel, Mansur Gavriel is known for its elevated products with a focus on material, technique and shape.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Global manufacturers increased their purchases of components and raw materials in September as demand swelled.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In extremely short order, the Belgian designer filled them and more, cresting the wave of growth that swelled across luxury between 2016 and 2023 (via the Covid slump).
    — Luke Leitch, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Trump has vastly expanded ICE to ramp up deportations of immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, and the agency was a major part of last year’s law-enforcement surge in the Chicago area known as Operation Midway Blitz.
    — Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Open Doors Foundation, which began operations in 2025 and quickly expanded before running into zoning and code issues at multiple properties this year, has sought to remain open at 3221 Independence Avenue, its original location.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Of the 13 most competitive Senate races, seven Republicans have expressed skepticism or outright opposition to the agreement that is unlikely to significantly affect high diesel costs contributing to broader inflation.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Storyteller Overland Powering up the sockets and appliances, the Gear Mode packs in 4+ kWh of Lithionics batteries that send power through a 2,000-W inverter and charge while driving through a high-output auxiliary alternator.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier Friday, Evercore ISI recommended buying SpaceX shares ahead of its next scheduled earnings release, set for early November, and boosted its 12-month price target on the stock by 20% to $275.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • When gas prices jumped this spring after the Iran war started, Americans were starting to get tax refunds boosted by last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalated. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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